Seed planting device with automatic seed covering

Abstract

A device for planting seeds into soil includes an elongated tubular housing having a concentrically-disposed axially-aligned elongated rigid member slidably mounted within the hollow interior of the housing. A tubular socket is connected to the end portion of the member for extending through an opening in the bottom end of the housing to dig into and retain a soil plug from the soil to be planted. A handle portion is connected to the opposite end of the member for extending through an opening in the top portion of the housing to enable the member to be moved axially relative to the housing toward its bottom end so that the socket can be forced into digging engagement with the soil and then the member retracted in the housing to withdraw the soil plug from its hole in the soil, whereby a seed can be dropped in the soil hole. An ejecting mechanism discharges the soil plug from the socket and into the soil hole for covering the seed therein. A seed delivery tube and a seed feeding mechanism are also provided for guiding the seeds into the hole for planting purposes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for planting seeds, comprising: an elongated tubular housing having a hollow interior and having openings in the top and bottom ends of said housing;   a concentrically-disposed axially-aligned elongated rigid member reciprocably mounted within the hollow interior of said housing;   a tubular socket connected to the end portion of said member for extending through the opening in the bottom end of said housing to dig into the soil to be planted and to withdraw a soil plug to leave a soil hole in the soil;   a handle portion connected to said member for extending through the opening in the top end of said housing to enable said member to be moved axially relative to said housing toward its bottom end so that said socket can be forced into digging engagement with the soil and then the member retracted in said housing whereby a seed can be dropped in the soil hole;   backfilling means for moving soil into the soil hole for covering the seed therein, said backfilling means including a slidably mounted ejector rod having a bottom end portion for moving into said socket for ejecting the soil plug from said socket into the soil hole to cover over the seed;   spring means stretched between said rod and said elongated rigid member for propelling said rod into said socket to discharge the soil plug therefrom;   means defining an elongated slot in said rigid member;   rod means connected fixedly to said ejector rod and extending transversely therefrom and through said slot terminating at its outer distal end within the interior of said housing;   a latch mounted within said housing for engaging releasably said rod means of said ejector rod as said rigid member moves toward the bottom end of said housing to stretch said spring means between said rigid member and said ejector rod, said latch having at its lower end portion hooking means for holding said rod means and thereby said ejector rod and having at its upper end portion camming means;   releasing means mounted on said rigid member and having a pivotally mounted pin means extending transversely from said rigid member to engage said camming means during the downward movement of said rigid member and to pivot rearwardly away from said camming member to enable said pin means to move forwardly to a position below said camming means, said releasing means further including rigid means for limiting the forward pivotal movement of said pin means so that, when said rigid member commences its rearward upper movement to carry said pin means from said position below said camming means, said pin means engages and moves said camming means to cause said latch to free said rod means during rearward movement thereof to permit said spring means to propel said ejector rod forwardly into said socket for discharging the soil plug from said socket into the soil hole;   seed delivery means having an outlet near said bottom opening for guiding seeds thereto to enable them to fall under the force of gravity through the bottom opening into the hole after said socket is retracted into said housing; and   a seed hopper disposed rearwardly of said bottom end portion storing a supply of seeds having an outlet supplying a seed feeding mechanism.   
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1, further including another opening in said housing near its bottom end portion, wherein said seed delivery means includes a tube mounted on the outside of said housing and extending through said another opening into the interior of said housing with the outlet end of said tube disposed near and above the bottom opening. 
     
     
       3. A device according to claim 2, said seed feeding mechanism mounted on the outside of said housing for transferring seeds seriatum to the upper end of said tube. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said seed feeding mechanism includes a stationary plate mounted on said housing and having an opening therein communicating with said tube, at least one movable plate being slidably mounted in overlying relationship on said stationary plate, at least one hole extending through said movable plate, said seed hopper having an outlet being disposed above the last-mentioned hole for supplying seeds thereto, means connecting said movable plate to said elongated member so that said movable plate slides relative to said stationary plate until the last-mentioned hole is aligned with the opening in said stationary plate when said elongated member moves axially. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said movable plate includes a plurality of other graduated sized holes for receiving and carrying different size seeds, means mounting adjustably said feeding mechanism on said housing for enabling said mechanism to be positionally adjusted laterally to align the outlet of said seed hopper with a desired hole in said movable plate, said opening in said stationary plate being elongated. 
     
     
       6. A device according to claim 5, further including a plurality of similar movable plates being fastened together releasably in stacked overlying relationship with their graduated holes disposed in vertical alignment with one another to enable the overall thickness of the movable plates to be adjustable for accommodating different size seeds by adding or eliminating one or more of the movable plates. 
     
     
       7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said hooking means includes a hook for engaging said rod means and said camming means includes a curved cam arm, said rigid means of said releasing means including a channel member opening upwardly and a pivotally mounted pin extending therefrom for engaging said cam arm, the forward distal end portion of said ejector rod being spaced axially rearwardly from said tubular socket during the digging operation.